Inside Baseball

Padres general manager Kevin Towers was gobbling up what he callsthe "Rolaids and Tums combo platter" as he watched the Cardinalsscore four runs to take a 7-3 lead against his team in thebottom of the eighth of their April 5 game. As Towers startedfor the clubhouse, Devil Rays scout Monk Williams stopped him inhis tracks. "Don't go anywhere," Williams told him. "Your guysare gonna come back."

Towers heeded the words of the wizened scout, and sure enough,the Padres scored five runs in the top of the ninth to win 8-7."When somebody from another organization senses that kind ofchemistry on your club," Towers says, "then you begin to believethat magic can happen."

The victory was one of four dramatic comeback wins San Diegoalready had at week's end, including three in games when ittrailed by two or more runs entering the ninth. Last season thePadres finished 5-81 in games in which they were behind goinginto the ninth. "A year ago when teams got a couple of runsagainst us early, we'd sink in our seats and think, Wow, can wecome back?" third baseman Ken Caminiti says. "This year we'realways wondering, Who's going to be the hero tonight?"

By winning 11 of its last 12 games before Sunday's rainout inPittsburgh, San Diego improved its record to 14-3, the beststart in the majors and by far the best in franchise history."We know it's still early," manager Bruce Bochy says, "but agood start can really lay the foundation for a great season."

During this torrid April, a new Padres protagonist has starredin virtually every game. The much-improved San Diego pitchingstaff, led by ace righthander Kevin Brown, has the seventh-bestERA (3.91) in the league--the Padres were 13th a year ago--andhas already produced more shutouts this season (three) than inall of '97 (two). The offense has not only featured clutch hitsfrom the usual suspects, like Caminiti, eight-time batting champTony Gwynn and centerfielder Steve Finley, but also has gottentimely contributions from such unexpected sources as benchplayers Archi Cianfrocco and Andy Sheets.

Still, the most dramatic comeback story belongs to leftfielderGreg Vaughn, who struggled mightily after coming to the Padresin a deal with the Brewers at the '96 trade deadline. During amiserable '97 season, Vaughn batted .216 with 18 homers (he'dhit 41 in '96), lost his job to Rickey Henderson, got traded tothe Yankees and then was returned to sender when he couldn'tpass a physical because of a damaged right shoulder. "He becamethe scapegoat for the bad season," Caminiti says, "and hesuffered a lot because he's the kind of guy who hears every boo."

At spring training this year Vaughn began working regularly withGwynn, who lectured him on delaying his swing and striking withquick hands. The advice has helped: At week's end Vaughn wasbatting .269 with five home runs and 10 RBIs. Two of his homershave been game-winners. Vaughn credits his resurgence to acombination of factors ranging from his regular tune-ups withGwynn to wearing his old Brewers uniform number--23. "All I knowis that I feel a great sense of relief," says Vaughn. "Last yearwas a matter of survival, but now I'm at peace with myself."

Burnitz BlazesFINDING PARADISE IN MILWAUKEE

Maybe Brewers rightfielder Jeromy Burnitz should thank Marinersreliever Paul Spoljaric, or, as Burnitz refers to him, "Thatdude, the lefty, who used to be with Toronto." While playing forthe Indians in July 1996, Burnitz, who had just cracked thelineup, was hit on the elbow by a Spoljaric pitch and knockedout of the game. Burnitz's replacement, Brian Giles, proceededto hit so proficiently that Cleveland decided it no longerneeded Burnitz. Or, in Burnitz-speak, "That dude smoked me, andGiles got in there and just raked for the rest of the year. Andthat was it for me." A month later the Indians shipped Burnitzto Milwaukee for utilityman Kevin Seitzer. Finally, six yearsafter the Mets selected him with the 17th pick in the draft,Burnitz had a chance to play every day.

Regarded as the Mets' rightfielder of the future, Burnitz in '91became the first 30-30 man in the 53-year history of the EasternLeague, hitting 31 homers and stealing 31 bases for Double AWilliamsport. By '94 he was in the Mets' Opening Day lineup, butthen he got on the bad side of manager Dallas Green, who wasknown for his lack of patience. Green often publicly criticizedBurnitz for what he perceived to be lackadaisical play andpouting, and ultimately shipped him to the minors before tradinghim to Cleveland in November '94.

Burnitz's current skipper, Phil Garner, understands how theplayer's style might be misconstrued. "It's just the way hecarries himself," says Garner. "He can have some bad bodylanguage. Sometimes when he walks back to the dugout afterstriking out, you'd think this guy had lost all hope in life.But he comes to play every day, plays extremely hard, and we getalong fine with that."

Green wasn't the only New Yorker to misread Burnitz. Reporterstagged him as an introvert, with one writer going so far as tocall him "painfully private." Burnitz scoffs at that. "First ofall, the reporters are in the manager's office, and he's saying,'Burnitz stinks, he's out of here.' Then they come up to me andask me about it. There wasn't a whole lot I could say."

No one in Milwaukee has accused Burnitz of being withdrawn.During spring training a year ago, a fan mistakenly handed him acard with a photo of teammate Bob Wickman, who weighs 25 poundsmore than Burnitz, and asked for an autograph. "That's it!"Burnitz cried with a tone of mock indignation. "Time to go on adiet. I must look like a fat slob."

Burnitz says he has always been a Harley-riding guy, only nowhe's playing for a Harley-riding manager in a town wherepitching changes are marked by a Harley-riding dude taking a laparound the ballpark. In short, Burnitz and Milwaukee are aperfect fit, and he is making the most of it. He batted .281with 27 homers and 21 steals last year, and he has been a key tothe Brewers' surprisingly strong start (12-5 at week's end, topsin the National League Central). He was among the league leadersin homers (six), RBIs (19) and coming out of one's shoes on aswing (countless). "He's a wild swinger," says Garner. "Youdon't want to take away that aggressiveness, but he has to takeit down a little bit."

During batting practice last Saturday, Burnitz launchedconsecutive pitches into the rightfield seats, then nearlycorkscrewed himself into the ground going for three in a row.During the game, however, he showed better discipline by takinga low, outside curve from Giants lefthander Jim Poole toleftfield for a double. It was just the kind of thing he workson in the cage. "I'm not good enough to show up and just get inthe game and hit," Burnitz says. "I do a lot of extra hitting.I'm not a great hitter." Not yet, at least. --Mark Bechtel

Stieb's Last FlingsCOMEBACK FOR THE AGED

Dave Stieb has come full circle. Twenty years ago he began hisprofessional career as a Class A Dunedin (Fla.) Blue Jay. Thesedays the 40-year-old righthander is pursuing an improbablecomeback--in Dunedin--after five years in retirement.Contemplating how much time has passed, he gazes at histeammates and sees three players who were only a year old whenhe made his pro debut. It's no wonder his teammates havenicknamed him Dinosaur. "I don't know if that necessarily meansI'm old," Stieb says with a wry smile. "I prefer to think thatit means I'm big and bad."

Stieb is listed on the Dunedin roster as a player-coach, butthere is greater emphasis on player with every passing day. LastSaturday night he pitched five innings against the BrevardCounty Manatees, a Marlins farm team, allowing two earned runsand striking out nine. It was his third start in a comeback thatbegan in February after Toronto invited him to spring trainingto be a guest instructor.

Stieb left baseball in '93 because elbow tendinitis and anaching back had made him ineffective. Until this spring hehadn't thrown a pitch since then at any level above LittleLeague batting practice. "He doesn't have the velocity he usedto have," Toronto general manager Gord Ash says, "but he stillhas good movement on his slider. The years away from the gamehave helped his elbow. His fierce desire and competitiveness arestill there."

Stieb is scheduled to pitch in an exhibition game betweenToronto and Triple A Syracuse this week, and his timetablemandates that by late May he will either be pitching in Torontoor going home. "I'm actually having more fun this time around,"Stieb says, "My attitude is, If it works out, that's great, andif it doesn't, I go home as planned. I've never been afraid tofail."

For complete scores and stats, plus more news from Tom Verducciand Tim Crothers, go to www.cnnsi.com

COLOR PHOTO: AL TIELEMANS UPENDED The Padres' hot start can be traced to hard-nosed play like this Caminiti takeout of the Pirates' Tony Womack. [Ken Caminiti and Tony Womack in game]COLOR PHOTO: JOHN BIEVER NOT A PRETTY SIGHT His swing may not be perfect, but Burnitz is getting sweet results. [Jeromy Burnitz batting in game]COLOR PHOTO: DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/AP PHOTO [Darren Kennedy being tackled by security guard]

THE BUZZ

With the Yankees' recent signings of Cuban refugee righthanderOrlando Hernandez for $6.6 million and 16-year-old righthanderRicardo Aramboles of the Dominican Republic for $1.5 million,some major league owners are renewing efforts to expand the Junefree-agent draft to include players from all over the world. Inaddition to U.S. high school and college players, the draftwould encompass amateurs from Latin America, some Asiancountries and Australia, though probably not Cuba. Actingcommissioner Bud Selig says the impetus for baseball's movementtoward a worldwide draft is the fear that a few wealthyfranchises can outbid the rest of the sport for any eliteforeign prospect.

Q & A

Like his idol, Babe Ruth, David Wells is a portly portsider whoplays for the Yankees and has a taste for the occasional beer.Also there's the much-publicized fact that Wells paid $35,000for Ruth memorabilia, including a cap Wells got in trouble forwearing in a game. But there are still some unanswered questionsabout Wells's affection for the Sultan of Swat.

If you faced Ruth, how would you pitch him?

I'd go right at him. Challenge him. I go after everybody. Whychange?

What would you do if a player you were pitching to stepped outof the box and pointed at the seats, calling his shot a la theBabe?

I'd point at his rib cage.

What if Ruth did it?

I'd point at his rib cage.

You'd throw at the Bambino?

Well, if he's being funny, I'd just laugh it off. If not, Idon't know what I'd do. Actually, I do, but I can't tell you. IfI tell you, I'd have to kill you.

You would, wouldn't you?

Mmm-hmm.

WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?

On April 13 everybody at Coors Field was talking about the coldstreak. No, not the Rockies' eight straight losses, but DarrenKennedy's naked dash across the Colorado outfield. Despite briskwinds and temperatures so chilling (46[degrees] at game time)that Rockies players wore long johns or tights under theiruniforms, Kennedy jumped out of the leftfield stands during thethird inning of a game against the Reds, shed his clothes andbegan chasing Dante Bichette toward the infield before beingcollared by security guards. "Here I am in purple tights with anaked guy chasing me," Bichette said. "I'll bet you didn't thinkI could run that fast. I'm just glad the guy wasn't wearingcleats. If he had run me down with 50,000 people watching, Idon't think I could have ever shown my face again."

What was Kennedy thinking? Apparently he studied at the JohnHinckley school of seduction. The 30-year-old thought hisactions might impress a woman. "I've been looking for this girlto share my world," Kennedy told the judge the next day. "Ithought it would be a good idea, what I did. I know it's kind ofwild.... I'm sorry." The apology wasn't enough. Kennedy pleadedno contest to disturbing the peace, trespassing andpublic-indecency charges--all misdemeanors--and was fined $500,ordered to pay $29 in court costs and received a 30-daysuspended sentence.

A couple of hours after Kennedy's romp, the Rockies halted theirown frigid run with an 8-4 victory over the Reds. After the gameBichette said, "My poor dad's in the stands, and he's 79 today.I don't know what he's thinking. I told him the fans love mehere, but I didn't tell him they loved me that much."

Before he became the premier postseason performer of his generation, the Patriots icon was a middling college quarterback who invited skepticism, even scorn, from fans and his coaches. That was all—and that was everything